My daughter has expessed an interest in starting photography and it's something I'd like to encourage as I think she'd be pretty good. Her birthday is coming up and she said she'd like a camera like mine, Nikon D3100, but I think this would be a)too expensive if she decides it's not for her and b) too bulky for her to carry everywhere. She likes the Coolpix but there are sooo many models I don't really know where to start!!
Can anybody recommend one?
Thanks, Claire
If she's just starting out, I'd recommend a simple P&S, something like the S3100 which is around £90 online at the moment. I started my project with a slightly lower model and still carry it everywhere I go. Sure, you can't alter all the manual settings, but you have to work more to get good results. I found I learnt quite a lot about photography in the 8 months or so before I bought an SLR (although I'd had and used P&S cameras for years before). If she does get into it, there is plenty of room for experimenting in it, with various white balance settings and the option to move and set the focus area, which isn't a feature I've found elsewhere. The Nikons generally see to have a fairly good macro mode too.
Presumably you'd let her use your D3100 from time to time too so she can learn more?
I bought an S3100 a couple of days ago and really enjoying it. Battery seems to be lasting well and lots of interesting extras. You can edit on the camera, selective colour which I am enjoying playing with and lots of different scene modes. I have a Lumix FZ38 which is quite bulky and I am very naughty at keeping on automatic and about to go on holiday so thought I would treat myself to the coolpix I got a great deal which included a camera case and a 4 gb memory card for £90 and its RED!!!!
@clairefisher, Hi Claire, Olympus has a really great camera called a D720 - its £99.00 was £179.00. It has really great features - she would love the magic filters. It also has 10 x zoom and super macro. Go and have a look at it in Currys. It also comes in pink, silver and black. I bought one for my son - he absolutely loves it!
P500 has >12 MP and is great for wildlife and landscape with its 28-810 mm zoom [or -2x to 16x], although you need a monopod for 10x and greater. It can be carried on a belt pack but not as small as most non-reflex cameras due to the tele capability. It is my main camera [until I drop at least 5 grand on a full size sensor camera like the C 5D M2 with 24-205 and 100-400 lenses], and also has a great panorama capability.
@wormentude@n0pants3ver@moirab Thanks ladies. The s3100 was one that I was looking at and then maybe move on up from there if she really likes it but I also like the look of the S9100 which although is twice the price has a great focal length for the size of camera. Am torn between her getting frustrated with a cheaper one or spending out more and possibly wasting my money!
@sciroccojade Thanks. I will definately check that one out too. I'm new to cameras myself so don't really know with much confidence what I'm looking at so it's good to have recomandations :)
i have had a coolpix 4100 and 4000, and killed the touchscreen on both, having to replace the entire screen. i suggest not going with a touchscreen model. neat and fun, but a lot more fragile.
@clairefisher Yes, sorry: a Nikon. It gives a LOT more capability than an iphone or HTC phone, which most kids already have. It looks like a reflex camera and you can really have a LOT of fun with the tele and panorama. By belt pack to carry it, that also includes a "fanny pack". Best wishes, Don
@clairefisher - There's a lot to learn before you get frustrated even with a cheap camera. It depends on what she's wanting to do with it too. Is she mainly wanting snapshots of friends and that sort of thing? Or does she want to be a bit more serious about it?
@wormentude She wants to do photgraphy 'A' Level so is quite serious. She is also looking to staart a job with a media/web design complany when she leaves school so needs to get some experience for that.Her iPhone is covering the snapshots etc but I like the fact you said the S3100 has manual setting as well. She can start to experiment with the technical stuff that way.
@clairefisher - No, it doesn't have manual setting, only for which bit of the screen if the area it focuses on, as against just being able to use the centre in a lot of cameras. If she's look at A level, I'd possibly consider going a level up.
@wormentude Oh ok, I read that wrong then. But like you say to practise technical stuff she could borrow mine. I was looking at the S9100. Is £200 down from £250 at the mo and is kinda halfway between a cheapy and my Nikon. Has great focal length for a small camera. Trouble is I will want one too!
@clairefisher - Maybe get her that and then you can share both. Maybe pick up a second one when they anounce it's successor - prices tend to drop rapidly then.
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Presumably you'd let her use your D3100 from time to time too so she can learn more?